Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute

What Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute does

Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute (C2CPII) is a US-headquartered nonprofit organization founded in 2010 by William McDonough and Michael Braungart to operate the Cradle to Cradle Certified® product certification program. The Institute evaluates products across five sustainability categories — Material Health, Material Reutilization, Renewable Energy and Carbon Management, Water Stewardship, and Social Fairness — under the current Version 5.0 of the standard, with independent verification by accredited third-party Conformity Assessment Bodies and tiered certification levels (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum). It serves manufacturers, brands, and product companies across verticals including beauty and personal care, cleaning products, textiles and apparel, built environment, and consumer goods, with a certified product registry serving as the searchable distribution layer for specifiers and buyers.

The Institute runs three core certification pathways (Full Scope, Circularity, and Material Health Certificate) plus supporting resources such as the Green Claims Guidance document aligned with EU regulations including the Empowering Consumers Directive (EmpCo) and the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). Revenue is generated through certification assessment and maintenance fees supplemented by donations and grants; pricing is not publicly disclosed. The organization operates through two legal entities — a US 501c3 (San Francisco, EIN: 27-1832830) and a Dutch B.V. (Amsterdam, KVK: 66481260) — under Executive Director and CEO Elwyn Grainger-Jones. Go-to-market relies on content marketing, industry events (Futurebuild, London Climate Action Week), webinars, and the newly launched Advisory Network (with Anthesis as its first member) to funnel companies into the certification process.

Name

Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute

Legal name

Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute Inc.

Website

https://c2ccertified.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute is a 2010-founded nonprofit that operates the Cradle to Cradle Certified® product standard, evaluating manufacturers' goods across material health, circularity, renewable energy, water stewardship, and social fairness with accredited third-party verification.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Product Certification Fees: Companies pay for certification assessment and ongoing certification maintenance. The certification process involves independent verification by accredited Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs) and review by the Institute.
2. Donations and Grants: The Institute accepts donations (both US 501c3 and Netherlands-based donations) to support its mission of advancing the circular economy.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute administers the Cradle to Cradle Certified® product certification program, which independently verifies that products are designed for material health, circularity, renewable energy, water stewardship, and social fairness. Companies pay certification fees to have their products assessed and awarded Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Platinum levels under the Version 5.0 standard. The Institute also operates a searchable Certified Products Registry and, as of 2026, an Advisory Network of consulting partners (anchored by Anthesis) to support companies through the certification process.

Product overview

The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute operates the Cradle to Cradle Certified® certification program, which offers three distinct certification pathways: Full Scope Certification (comprehensive assessment across material health, material reutilization, renewable energy, water stewardship, and social fairness), Circularity Certification (focused on circular economy design), and Material Health Certificate (specific to ingredient safety). The Institute also provides the Green Claims Guidance document to help companies communicate sustainability claims compliant with EU regulations. The newly launched Advisory Network, with Anthesis as its first member, provides consulting support services to assist companies throughout the certification process.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cradle to Cradle Certified® Full Scope Certification The comprehensive Cradle to Cradle Certified® assessment evaluating products across five categories: Material Health, Material Reutilization, Renewable Energy & Carbon Management, Water Stewardship, and Social Fairness. Products can achieve Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Platinum levels.
• Cradle to Cradle Certified® Circularity Certification Product-level certification focused specifically on circular economy principles, enabling companies of all sizes to develop products designed for circularity, material reutilization, and circular design.
• Cradle to Cradle Certified® Material Health Certificate Certification focused on ingredient health assessment, evaluating product ingredients and restricting classes of chemicals known to be problematic for health and circularity, including PFAS and other organohalogens.
• Advisory Network A global network of accredited consulting partners providing support to companies pursuing C2C Certified® certification. Services include pre-screening products, gap analyses, certification preparation, data gathering from supply chains, and design optimization. Anthesis is the first member.

Quantifiable outcome

• 65% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, 67% in water consumption, and 66% in energy consumption for certified products (Coty Chloé Rose Naturelle Intense)

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AnthesiscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 12 May 2026Anthesis joined as the first member of the Institute's new global Advisory Network. The network provides consulting support to companies seeking Cradle to Cradle Certified® certifications. Services include pre-screening products, conducting gap analyses, supporting certification preparation, and design optimization. Advisors receive training on C2C Certified® standards.
• Plastics Recyclers EuropeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Institute's article on Europe's recycling paradox references Plastics Recyclers Europe's strategic recommendations for a resilient circular plastic value chain. Both organizations advocate for stronger verification standards for recycled materials.
• GS1 NetherlandsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGS1 Netherlands Program Manager Sustainability Anouk Osinga participated as panelist in Institute webinar on data-driven markets. GS1 creates the Global Language of Business standards.
• JLL Design LabminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJLL Design Lab Global Design Innovation and Sustainability Leader Johana Rodriguez participated as panelist discussing how certification strengthens business performance in data-driven markets.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Bureau Veritas: International testing, inspection, and certification company operating across marine, offshore, industrial, and consumer goods. Comparable as a diversified TIC incumbent that includes sustainability and green-claims services alongside its core technical assurance portfolio.
• UL Solutions (Underwriters Laboratories): Global safety science organization offering testing, inspection, and certification across consumer products, electronics, and industrial sectors. Comparable as a broad testing-and-certification incumbent that has expanded into sustainability claims verification, though its core remains product safety.
• TÜV SÜD: Global testing, inspection, and certification provider serving consumer products, industrial, and energy markets. Comparable as an established broad-based certification incumbent with growing sustainability-related service lines.

Direct peers

• B Lab (B Corporation): Operates the B Corp certification for companies meeting verified social and environmental performance standards. Directly comparable as a multi-criteria sustainability certification scheme serving manufacturers and brands seeking credible third-party verification.
• Bluesign Technologies: Provides chemical and sustainability certification for the textile and apparel industry, assessing inputs, processes, and end products. Comparable as a domain-specialized certification body emphasizing material health and chemical management — overlapping directly with C2C's Material Health methodology.
• OEKO-TEX (Hohenstein): Issues STANDARD 100, Made in Green, and related certifications for textiles and leather based on tested harmful-substance limits. Closely comparable as a product-level chemical safety certification used by manufacturers to substantiate sustainability claims.
• ECOCERT: Provides organic and natural certification for cosmetics, food, textiles, and cleaning products. Comparable as a third-party certification body operating across multiple consumer-product verticals with chemical and natural-ingredient assessment.
• Green Seal: Issues environmental certification standards for cleaning products, paper, and other consumer goods. Comparable as a multi-attribute sustainability certification serving manufacturers of cleaning and consumer products seeking credible environmental claims.
• SCS Global Services: Provides independent third-party certification, auditing, and testing across sustainability, recycled content, and product stewardship. Comparable as a multi-vertical certification body serving manufacturers and brands with third-party-verified sustainability claims.

Emerging players

• Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS): World-leading textile processing certification for organic fibers, covering environmental and social criteria across the supply chain. Comparable as a vertically focused sustainability certification that overlaps with C2C in the textiles/apparel/footwear customer segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cradle-to-cradle-products-innovation-institute
• Xx.com/c2ccertified
• Facebookfacebook.com/c2ccertifiedproducts

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

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